1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reclosable pouch and a closure mechanism therefor.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
A reclosable pouch for storage of items typically includes a closure mechanism disposed at, or adjacent to, a mouth of the pouch. Frequently, the closure mechanism for a reclosable pouch includes an extruded male closure element disposed on one sidewall of the reclosable pouch that interlocks with a complementary extruded female closure element disposed on an opposite sidewall of the reclosable pouch. In many cases, the male closure element has an elongate solid core arrow-shaped male closure profile, and the female closure element has an elongate solid core channel-shaped female closure profile.
In other cases, a portion of the male or closure profile has a hollow portion. For example, one elongate extruded male closure profile has a hollow circular head portion disposed on a solid shaft portion. Another elongate extruded hollow male closure profile has a hollow circular or trapezoidal interlocking portion that is disposed directly on a backing member. Yet another male closure assembly includes an array of non-elongate arrow-shaped male closure elements, each of which has a barbed head portion disposed on a hollow cylindrical shaft portion.
One closure mechanism includes a first non-extruded elongate arrow-shaped closure profile that fits interlockingly within a hollow core of a second non-extruded larger elongate hollow arrow-shaped closure profile. Both the first and second closure profiles have an opening into a base of a hollow shaft portion and a hollow head portion. The first closure profile extends into the opening in the base of the second closure profile and nests within the hollow shaft and head thereof. Each closure profile has a multi-layer portion of a sidewall that is formed by either folding and overlapping a portion of a pouch sidewall or laminating a separate strip onto a pouch sidewall and then crimping or stamping the multi-layer portion into the arrow shape.
Yet another type of closure mechanism includes elongate interlocking tongue and groove profile strips that can be clamped together on opposite sides of a bag or pouch to seal the sidewalls of the bag or pouch therebetween. Such tongue and groove profile strips may be secured to or separate from an outer surface of each sidewall of the bag or pouch. In one example, the tongue profile strip has a hollow bulbous tongue portion that snap-fits into the groove profile strip.
Other non-interlocking portions of a closure element also may have a hollow profile. For example, some closure elements have elongate hollow circular bumper ridge or seal bead profiles disposed adjacent to a male and/or female closure profile. Other closure elements include an elongate hollow circular bumper ridge disposed inside an elongate channel-shaped female closure profile.
Grip ridges may also be disposed on a sidewall of a reclosable pouch adjacent to the closure profiles to provide increased traction for a user trying to open and/or close the closure profiles. The grip ridges are often disposed on a surface of a backing member or the sidewall of the reclosable pouch such that a cross-sectional profile of the pouch is thicker at the grip ridge, including a thickness of both the grip ridge and the backing member, than at an adjacent portion of the pouch including a thickness of only the backing member.